Audi A3 e-tron: Hands-on video!

Nice hands-on report and video here of the Audi A3 e-tron. Enjoy!

So, this e-tron bit: basically it’s the company’s next-generation drivetrain, joining the likes of Quattro and TDI. All together, it’s short for EV electronic — sorry, nothing in the way of Tron here — and the name will apply to its plug-in hybrid and all-electric vehicles. Fans of the LeMans 24 hour endurance race are likely familiar with branding, as it’s used on the R18 e-tron Quattro diesel / electric hybrid.

From the outside, the prototype A3 e-tron is very much a last-gen A3. We’d really have a tough time telling the difference between the two if it weren’t for its red-accented rims the eponymous decals plastered around its body. Even the interior is understated and nearly identical to gas-powered version, with just a few hints of e-tron branding — sadly the infotainment system is not of the MMI Touch variety. The main distinctions lay with the smooth Alcantara-lining on the seats and side panels, as well as a slightly re-tooled set of dashboard panels (we’ll detail these in a bit).